Miss Independent
by Chrys-DASL
Summary: Susie has always been in Angelica's shadow, and college didn't change things. Angelica led and Susie followed, not realizing there was another way...until now. One-shot. For my Slice of Life series. See my profile for more info. Rated T for language.


**Miss Independent**

Series: At The Mall

Susie picked up a nice dress and tried to pull herself back into the moment. Angelica had asked her to go shopping with her, something she'd done every time she had a major crisis since they were old enough to go to the mall by themselves.

Except now they were in college and Susie had a paper due, a meeting to plan, and several textbooks to read. Angelica, who was also in college but apparently thought it was just another place to be popular, was out here spending her parents' money and bitching about something. Susie had lost interest. She was literally only there because she'd always been there.

"…but I think she meant to call me that, don't you? I mean, why else would you say something like that unless you meant it. I get she was DRUNK, like, oh my god, Susie, she drank enough to kill a mule!" Angelica continued, speaking to Susie but oblivious to her, just like she'd always been.

They had never been friends. Angelica, the spoiled brat of two of the most incompatible people they knew, was always the rival of Susie, the doctor's daughter who knew she'd have to fight for anything she wanted. They went to the same schools all the way through senior year, and now they were at the same local college. Angelica thought she was one-upping her parents by living on her own in the dorms, but Susie legitimately wanted to go to this school and get her undergrad degree.

Yet she was here, looking at a five hundred dollar dress on a school day.

Susie put the dress back on the rack and looked around. For once there were no staff giving her the stink eye, but a black girl shopping with a preppy white girl wasn't much of a threat in their eyes. They weren't even watching, and honestly Angelica wasn't either. She was chattering away, barely looking at the dresses she'd slung over her arm to try on later.

"…I think she's just jealous. Ever since I slept with that senior, they're all after me. All of them. They just want what they can't have—"

Susie quietly moved a rack away. Angelica didn't look up or anything. She kept talking at her normal volume too, all proof that she was oblivious.

Suddenly Susie realized she could just walk away altogether. No one told her to stay in contact with this girl, and no one was keeping her here now. Her parents had always hoped she'd get away from her anyway, and now was her chance.

With her head held high, Susie marched out the nearest exit. She swung by the food court and grabbed a giant pretzel, something Angelica never let her do because "OMG THE CARBS!" Susie carried that pretzel out to the parking lot, where the bus stop was located. She took a seat on the bench as a young woman and her child approached. The child kept talking about Susie's pretzel, and knowing she couldn't eat it all, she let him have half despite the mother's protests. Susie made a point about sharing, making it a teaching moment. She was putting her social sciences degree to work even though she didn't have it yet.

The bus came and eventually dropped her off at the campus. She put her trash away and went back to her dorm. It wasn't until she sat down to study that her phone started buzzing. Angelica had finally noticed, a good forty minutes later, that she wasn't with her.

Susie ignored the calls and texts. She turned off her room's light and used a lamp to read by. Sure enough, Angelica showed up pounding on her door. She started asking around too, but no one had seen Susie go in, and since her light appeared to be off, they didn't think she was in there either. With some arguing, Susie's neighbors got Angelica to go away, back to the regular girls' dorm with the five-to-a-room layout. Susie sighed, looking over her tiny single with bliss. She finally felt free.

* * *

Susie's professor looked up to her and smiled, "I knew this day would come, early too. You doubted yourself too much in the beginning."

"I remember. I'm not the same person I was then, not at all," Susie said, leaning forward, "I've chosen Stanford for my Master's degree. My mother wanted me to choose her alma matter, but I want to do my own thing. She'll understand in time."

"You know, a lot of people that come through here tell me what they're going to do with their life, but I rarely believe them. You? I actually believe you, but I don't know why. You were so meek when you came here. I didn't know what changed until this paper," she said, sliding it towards her.

Susie knew which one it was—the one where she told the story of when she finally realized she could be fully independent in each and every moment of her life.

Her professor studied her, "This happened, didn't it? You actually walked out on a childhood friend in a mall and she was too daft to notice."

Susie nodded, "It took her an hour, and even then, she thought she was the one leaving me behind. When you hear her side of the story, I ditched her at the mall without a ride and told her off when she came looking for me. Honestly, I hadn't said a word to her since that morning when I agreed to go with her. I'm so glad I've never had to say those words again."

"So where is she now? I gather she followed you here, but where did she end up?" the professor inquired.

Susie smiled, "She lives in an apartment downtown with three other girls. It's a two-bedroom so that should be interesting. Her parents cut her off when the saw how much shopping she was doing. The university already kicked her out, but she just kept pretending everything was fine. She works minimum wage during the day, at a sleazy bar at night. She's exactly who I expected her to be."

Her professor shook her head, "I'm glad you had the courage to get away, to become who you are today. I expect great things from you, and my hope is you'll keep me updated," she smiled, standing to shake Susie's hand. Susie accepted and left the office knowing, yet again, that she'd made the right choice.

~End

A/N: The series listed at the beginning is one I started for the Arthur fandom, but I'd love to branch out to include more fandoms and more authors. For more information, PM me, and if you have a piece to include, let me know so I can add it to the community.


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